Rainforest Trust welcomes applications from eligible organisations seeking support to create or expand protected or conserved areas on land or at sea.

The programme is centred on establishing areas that can deliver lasting conservation benefits for Species, Climate and Communities, rather than funding general environmental projects.

Rainforest Trust works with in-country partners and provides funding and other support through the process of developing and establishing protected or conserved areas.

The organisation reports that, since 1988, it has awarded more than US$382 million to approximately 323 partners, supporting the creation and management of more than 400 new and expanded areas, with over 68.8 million acres protected.

TYPES OF FUNDING

1. Feasibility Awards

Feasibility Awards support work needed to determine whether a proposed protected or conserved area is viable.

They are intended to address specific information gaps before a project progresses to a Protected or Conserved Area Creation Award.

Examples include:

• Developing a legal pathway for protection.
• Field surveys to establish the presence and abundance of Critically Endangered or Endangered species.
• Assessing the conservation feasibility of a proposed site.

Typical Funding

Average: US$10,000

In exceptional circumstances, Rainforest Trust may consider awards of more than US$20,000.

Feasibility concepts can be submitted at any time and are reviewed on a rolling basis.

2. PROTECTED OR CONSERVED AREA CREATION AWARDS

These are Rainforest Trust's primary conservation awards.

They support the creation or expansion of protected or conserved areas, including through:

• Formal designation.
• Land titling.
• Land purchase.
• Other recognised conservation mechanisms, including Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs).

There is no set maximum grant amount for these awards. Applications are assessed individually.

Large Award Deadlines

For Protected or Conserved Area Creation Awards of US$250,000 and above, applications are accepted on:

1 March
1 July
1 October

Rainforest Trust recommends submitting the concept note approximately four months before the relevant deadline.

Awards Below US$250,000

Protected or Conserved Area Creation Awards of less than US$250,000 are accepted on a rolling basis and may be funded throughout the year.

WHAT TYPES OF PROJECTS QUALIFY?

The primary objective must be the creation or expansion of a protected or conserved area.

The proposed area must currently be unprotected. Applicants are expected to use the World Database of Protected Areas to help establish whether formal protection already exists.

The proposed area must contribute to at least one of the following conservation objectives:

Endangered Species

Protect globally significant populations of:

• Critically Endangered species
• Endangered species

This can include areas such as:

• Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs)
• Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) sites. 

High-Integrity Forests

Protect large areas of tropical and subtropical High Integrity Forests.

Climate-Critical Habitats

Protect tropical and subtropical habitats that are important for mitigating climate change, including examples such as:

• Peat swamps.
• Mangroves.
• Páramo. 

MANDATORY ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Legal Registration

The Project Implementer must be a:

Legally registered non-government organisation

and must be authorised to conduct work in the country where the proposed project is located.

Government & Community Support

The project must demonstrate support from relevant:

• Governments, including Indigenous governments.
• Indigenous Peoples.
• Local Communities.

The proposal must also demonstrate that Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) has been or will be properly conducted where applicable.

Protection Mechanism

The proposed protection mechanism must result in a change in the legal status of the area during the project and must mitigate critical threats to biodiversity and, where applicable, carbon storage.

Management System

A management system must already exist or be established, including:

• A management plan.
• A management committee.

The system should ensure sustained, positive outcomes for in situ biodiversity conservation.

Resource Extraction

The project must establish, or already have, limits on resource extraction to prevent unsustainable use.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES & LOCAL COMMUNITY LAND TENURE

Where Indigenous Peoples' or Local Communities' land tenure is the primary conservation strategy, additional criteria apply.

The project should demonstrate that:

• Substantial management authority will be led by the Indigenous Peoples or Local Communities.
• Land titles or comparable permanent land/resource rights will be granted to the Indigenous Peoples or Local Communities with customary rights to the land; or
• The lands or waters will be designated as a multiple-use territory under Indigenous or Local Community management or co-management. 

Rainforest Trust's preferred criteria also favour projects where community land ownership and governance authority are strengthened rather than transferred to an individual or NGO.

LAND PURCHASE PROJECTS

Where land purchase is the primary conservation strategy, the project must meet additional requirements.

The proposal needs to demonstrate that:

• The land is likely to be converted in the near future if it is not purchased.
• An alternative protection strategy is not possible, more expensive or significantly less effective.

The project must also demonstrate sufficient conservation, biodiversity or strategic value.

Examples of strategic value include purchasing a relatively small area that:

• Blocks access to a larger conservation area.
• Enables subsequent conservation action.
• Creates a critical biodiversity corridor. 

MARINE PROTECTED AREA PROJECTS

The criteria also provide for projects where marine protected area creation is the primary conservation strategy.

The applicable project should still demonstrate alignment with Rainforest Trust's broader conservation objectives and requirements.

PREFERRED PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS

Beyond the mandatory criteria, Rainforest Trust identifies several preferred characteristics.

Strong Conservation Status

For traditional protected areas, Rainforest Trust prefers high levels of protection, particularly IUCN Category I or II, where this does not infringe Indigenous Peoples' or Local Communities' rights.

Sustainable Use

Permitted sustainable uses can include:

• Subsistence hunting.
• Timber use.
• Artisanal fishing.
• Small-scale mining.
• Non-timber forest products.
• Residence.
• Bio-agriculture.
• Sustainable tourism.

These uses must remain consistent with the conservation objectives of the designated area.

Proven Implementer

Preference is given to organisations with a strong track record of establishing or expanding protected or conserved areas and maintaining low deforestation rates.

Sustainable Financing

Projects should demonstrate a strategy for long-term sustainable financing, or include activities to explore and develop such mechanisms.

Sustainable Livelihoods

Rainforest Trust favours projects that support sustainable livelihoods through approaches such as:

• Subsistence activities.
• Direct compensation.
• Payment for Ecosystem Services.
• Conservation employment.
• Community enterprise development. 

Equitable Governance

Projects should have processes to evaluate:

• Effectiveness of governance.
• Equity of governance.
• Effectiveness of management.

The resulting governing authority should be legitimate, democratic, equitable and accountable.

Government Support

Regional or national governments should have signalled support for the proposed protection mechanism.

COMMUNITY CAPACITY STRENGTHENING

Where requested, organisations and communities may receive capacity-strengthening support.

Examples include:

• Community association institutional strengthening.
• Training on territorial patrolling.
• Livelihood support. 

APPLICATION PROCESS

Rainforest Trust uses a collaborative application process.

Step 1 — Confirm Eligibility

Applicants first need to establish that:

• They are legally registered NGOs.
• They are authorised to work in the relevant country.
• Their project meets Rainforest Trust's conservation criteria. 

Step 2 — Submit a Concept Note

The first formal step is submission of a Concept Note through Rainforest Trust's online system.

Concept notes are accepted at any time and are generally reviewed within 1–2 months according to the current guidance.

Rainforest Trust strongly recommends a concept note be submitted around four months before the relevant deadline when seeking a Protected or Conserved Area Creation Award of US$250,000 or more.

Step 3 — Detailed Application

If the concept note is successful, Rainforest Trust will contact the organisation and invite it to submit a detailed application.

Rainforest Trust staff may provide guidance during this stage, including assistance with developing the project structure and language.

NO INTERMEDIARY OR CONSULTANT REQUIRED

Rainforest Trust explicitly states that applicants never need to pay a consultant or intermediary to apply for funding.

Applications must be submitted directly by eligible organisations, and Rainforest Trust works directly with applicants where a proposal aligns with its mission and criteria.

WHAT RAINFOREST TRUST DOES NOT FUND

Rainforest Trust's support is focused on direct conservation action centred on creating and expanding sustainably managed protected or conserved areas.

It does not fund:

• Fixed-rate overhead costs, although itemised expenditures may be considered.
• Long-term ecological monitoring or research.
• Large-scale habitat restoration, such as tree planting. 

This means a proposal centred solely on research, monitoring or restoration would not fit the programme.

GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE

Tropical and subtropical regions globally

Rainforest Trust works through in-country NGOs to establish protected areas throughout the tropics.

Feasibility Awards

Average: US$10,000

Exceptional awards: More than US$20,000 may be considered.

Protected or Conserved Area Creation Awards

No fixed maximum grant amount

Applications assessed individually.

Awards US$250,000+

Deadlines: 1 March • 1 July • 1 October

Awards Below US$250,000

Rolling applications throughout the year.

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